A Breckenridge police officer was assaulted during the early morning hours of July 21, after responding to a single vehicle crash on the corner of Highlands Drive and Highway 9 in Breckenridge.

The officer was responding to a single vehicle crash at about 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, when he stumbled upon a man laying in the middle of the street wearing only boxer shorts, said Sgt. Garrison Green of the Breckenridge Police Department. The officer stopped to perform a welfare check on the man and to wait for medical personnel to arrive on scene to evaluate any potential injuries.

The man allegedly assaulted the officer while waiting, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly hitting the back of his patrol vehicle.

“It was just a random act of violence against the officer,” said Green.

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During the initial confrontation the officer was able to call for backup, and members of both the Breckenridge Police Department and Summit County Sheriff’s Office arrived to help make an arrest, Green said. Both the officer and man were taken to St. Anthony Summit Medical Center for treatment and have been subsequently released. The name of the alleged assailant has not yet been released by law enforcement, though he is currently in custody.

Green noted that before the assault the incident was being investigated as a potential DUI crash, but it is presently not known if the man was inebriated in any capacity.

An investigation into the confrontation is currently underway. The Breckenridge Police Department is asking any witnesses to the incident, or anyone with additional information to contact Detective Justin Polidori at 970-4532941.

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